Campus Map

Campus Map

The names of the campus roads were decided on June 11th, 2003 before the university's 50th anniversary. The 8 main streets in the campus were named Donghai, Nanhai, Beihai, Xihai, Chengeng, Shichang, Aoliehuofu and Zhenghe. The main sports ground was named Jungong.

The names of the four roads around the Jungong Sports Field not only reflect the university's distinguishing features including ocean shipping, coast defense and ocean service, but also imply the ambitions to leave an impression on the world and symbolize the university's vitality. The remaining four roads were named after important persons related to the university's tradition and history. Chenggeng Lu, which is named after the university's first president, runs from the north to the south of the campus. The meaning behind this road's name is to commemorate predecessors, carry on their former ambitions and strive to create a better future. Shichang Lu was named after Deng Shichang, the hero of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. The name "Shichang" cautions people to value self-improvement, hold a long-term view and never forget the historic mission of being ready to serve for the national coastal defense. Also, it implies that Harbin Engineering University will be prosperous year after year. "Aoliehuofu Lu" was named after Orekhov who was the chief adviser of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering. This name commemorates the adviser group form the Soviet Union for their special contributions to the university's establishment as well as the friendship between the two sides. At the same time, it also implied the intention to attain the international standard which was present from the beginning of the university's establishment and the current goal to accelerate the process to make the university international. Zhenghe Lu was named after Zheng He, who was the leader in the seven-time shipping around the Atlantic Ocean when China's navy force was at its peak. The name aims at encouraging teachers and students to fight for the development of navy and the great revival of China.

Chen Geng (1953-1961 Dean of the Military Engineering Academy)

Chen Geng, an outstanding proletarian revolutionary, militarist, deputy commander-in-chief of Eastern China, and the first dean of the Military Engineering Academy, was born on 27th February 1903 in Xiangxiang county of Hunan province. He was the main founder of the defense-related science and technology of new China and the main founder of education in new China. Chen joined the Communist Party of China in 1922 and enrolled in the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924. He was appointed vice-captain and later company commander, and participated in the rebellion against business groups as well as the eastern expedition against Chen Jiongming after graduating from the Whampoa Military Academy.

Chen studied abroad in Soviet Union in 1926, returned home and participated in the Nanchang Uprising the next year while appointed as battalion commander. Later, he worked as a secret agent for the Communists in Shanghai. During the period of agrarian revolutionary war, he was appointed as a regimental commander and division commander of the fourth camp of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army; later posts include the principal of the Red Army University, regimental commander of the the cadre team of the Red Army, and division commander of the Red Army.

Chen participated in the Long March. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, Chen was appointed the chief commander of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, the column division of the Taiyue military region.

During the Liberation War, he was appointed as the division commander of the fourth column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan area field army, doubling as commander and political commissar of the fourth corps of the field army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

After the People's Republic of China was founded, Chen doubled as deputy commander of the southwest military region and commander of the Yunnan military reign, as well as the president of the people's government of Yunnan province.

In 1950, he went to Vietnam to help Vietnamese with the war against the French, and also took part in the war to resist U.S. aggression in Korea in 1951, and was appointed as the deputy commander of the the Chinese People's Volunteers.

After returning from the Korean War, Chen founded the Military Engineering Academy in Harbin, engaging in developing high-tech weapons. Later he became the deputy chief of staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, the deputy director of the COSTIND and the deputy minister of the Ministry of National Defense. He was named a general in 1955.

The Military Engineering Academy became one of the most famous universities in China within a few years. Although officially dissolved in 1970, many military engineering colleges today in China, such as the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, can trace their origins to the Military Engineering Academy. Chen later focused on the ballistic missile program and nuclear weapon program of China. However, he did not see the success of these programs. He died of a heart attack in 1961 at Shanghai.

There would have been none of the marvel, miracle and glory of the Military Engineering Academy without President Chen Geng. There would have been no boom in the development of the national defense science and technology education of the new China without President Chen Geng. There would have been no foundation of the development of Engineering Universities without President Chen Geng. He will be remembered for his historic contribution. The valuable fortune of the spirit he made will be carried forward all along, and the mission of Military Engineering Academy he left will be continuously boosted to new goals and will found new glory!

--From the remarks on the unveiling ceremony of Present Chen Geng's sculpture made by Wang Shuquan the secretary of the party committee